Revolving high-velocity jet for hollow-head-type barker having lowpressure watere supply



March 1, 1949. H. E. BUKQWSKY 2,453,084

- REVOLVING HIGH-VELOCITY JET FOR HOLLOW-HEAD-TYPE BARKER HAVINGLow-PRESSURE WATER-SUPPLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1945 INVENTOR.HAR RY E, BU KOWSKY ATTORNEY.

2,463 TYPE H. E. BU KOWSKY I March 1,

REVOLVING HIGH-VELOCITY JET FOR HOLLOW-HEAD BARKER HAVING LOW-PRESSUREWATER-SUPPLY 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 6, 1945 INVEN TOR. E B U KOWS KYHARRY BY Y W ATTORNEY.

2,463,084 T FOR HOLLOW-HEAD-TYPE SURE WATER-SUP E. BUKOWSKY REVOLVINGHIGH-VELOCITY JE BARKER HAVING LOW-PRES FLY Filed Feb. 6, 1945 3Sheets-Sheet 3 March 1, 1949.

INVENTOR. HARRY E. BUKOWSKY ATTORNEY.

. Patented Mar. 1', 1949 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE REVOLVINGHIGH-VELOCITY JET FOR HOL- LOW-HEAD-TYPE BARKER HAVING LOW- PRESSUREWATER SUPPLY Harry E. Bukowsky, Port Townsend, Wash., as-

signor to Crown Zellerbach Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., acorporation of Nevada Application February 6, 1945, Serial No. 576,493

I 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to hydraulic means for removing the bark from thesurface of logs.

In most hydraulic log barking machines it is necessary to rotate the logduring the debarking operation and also either to move the loglongitudinally through the barker or to provide means by which thedebarking nozzle can be moved longitudinally along the log.

A principal object of this invention is the providing of an improvedhydraulic log barking machine in which no rotation of the log isrequired and in which removal of the bark from the log surface will takeplace while the log is being moved longitudinally or endwise through themachine. The accomplishment of this object enables the bark removingoperation to proceed uninterruptedly and the bark to be removed from onelog after another as each log in turn passes through the barker, andfurthermore enables logs of any length to be debarke'd in the machine.

All hydraulic log barking devices heretofore used have, to the best ofmy knowledge, required the delivery of water to the device or machine athigh pressure. This necessitates the employment of high pressure pumps,high pressure piping and special packing, all of which involves certainproblems of maintenance and expense. The necessity of such high pressureapparatus is necessary in ordinary hydraulic debarking machines in orderto insure proper jet velocity from the debarking nozzle for removing thebark satisiactorily and efliciently.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulicbarker in which the water may be delivered to the machine at lowpressure and the necessary hydraulic jet velocity developed in themachine itself.

Another object is to provide a hydraulic barker in which a debarkingjet, or plurality of jets, directed against the log surface, will movearound the log in a plane normal to the direction of travel of the log,thus causing the debarking to take place in a spiral path as the logpasses through the barker.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulicbarker in which the jet velocity can be readily controlled and modifled,thus enabling the jet velocity to be adapted to the type of logs beingdebarked and to the thickness of the bark.

An additional object is to provide a hydraulic barker in which adebarking jet is produced without the use of the ordinary hydraulicnozzle.

These objects and other advantages I attain by providing a pair ofrotating ring assemblies,

2 rotating in opposite directions and cooperating to produce a debarkingjet in the manner hereinafter explained, and by otherwise constructingmy barker as hereinafter briefly described.

In the following explanation and description reference is made to'theaccompanying drawings,

'in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the main portion of my barker, showingpart of a log in the process of having the bark removed;

Figure 2 is a section through the upper half of the barker takenlongitudinally with respect to the log and corresponding to line 2--2 ofFigure 5;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary staggered transverse section through the upperportion of the barker corresponding approximately to line 3-3 of Figure1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation taken from the left side of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an end elevation taken from the forward or discharging end.of the barker.'

In the drawings the means for conveying the log longitudinally throughthe barker has been omitted for the sake of clarity, but it is to beunderstood that any suitable means will be employed for moving the loglongitudinally and at uniform speed through the machine in the directionindicated by the arrows X in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

The barker includes an inner cylindrical shell I or manifold and, in theparticular machine illustrated, the inner shell or manifold comprisestwo sections, I2 and I3 (see Fig. 2). These sections l2 and I3 have thesame internal diameter and are mountedin axial alignment with a centerspace between them. Their inner ends terminate in vertically extendingflanges l4 and I5 respectively, and their outer ends are flared as shownat l6 and I1 respectively. Each of these inner sections is supported ona pair of standards I, (see Figs. 1, 4 and 5) secured to the frame baseAn annular chamber I8 is formed about the gether and permit the water tobe projected r9.-

dially outward through them from the chamber l8.

A pair of rotating ring assemblies, indicated in general by thereference characters 23 and 24 (Fig. 2), are located around thestationary sections l2 and I3 respectively. These rotating as- 4 whichextends a short distance within the assembly 24. A scoop 31 (shown moreclearly in Fig. 3) is rigidly secured to the outer end of the flange 35.The face of this scoop is preferably concaved in the direction of travel(clockwise) of the assembly 23 by which it is carried. Thus, asapsemblies are spaced from the stationary sections but are concentricwith them. Each of these rotating assemblies is provided with a pair ofU- shaped rings or tracks 25 mounted on the outside periphery, as shownin Fig. 2. Each rotating assembly is supported by three or more pairs ofwheels 26 (see Fig. Two pairs of wheels are mounted for rotation inbearing blocks 21 (Figs. 4 and 5) attached to the base Ill of the frame,and four pairs of similar wheels are mounted in .blocks 28 secured to aframe side wall 29 (Fig. 5). The frame side wall 23 is rigidly supportedon the base l0 and is braced by a pair of integral braces 30. The pairsof wheels 28 engage the tracks (see Fig. 1) and thus keep the rotatingassemblies in place while permitting them to be rotated freely andrapidly.

A driving belt 3| passes around each rotating assembly to enable rapidrotation to be imparted to the assembly on the supporting wheels. Eachdriving belt is driven by suitable means (not shown), such as anelectric motor, and preferably gears and controls are included in suchmeans so that a very high rate of speed, as well as controllable ratesof speed can be imparted independently to each assembly. The electricmotors or other means for driving the belts 3| respectlvely rotate inopposite directions so that the belts 3| are driven in oppositedirections respectively and accordingly the rotating assemblies arerotated in opposite directions. Thus, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, theassembly 23 is rotated clockwise, as indicated by the arrow 1 in" Fig.3, and assembly 24 is rotated counter-clockwise. as indicated by thearrow 2. The reason for such rotation of the two assemblies in oppositedirections will be apparent later.

The rotating assembly 24 is formed with an annular U-shaped channel 32(Fig. 2) with the hollow of the U towards the inner side of theassembly. This channel 32 is in registration with the annular extension2| and the outlet ports 22 of the chamber It on the stationary shellsection l3. Thus the water from chamber l8, being discharged through theoutlet ports 22, will be de-,

livered into the channel 32. Due to the fact that the assembly 24 isrotating rapidly the water delivered into channel 32 will be preventedby centrifugal force from being spilled out of the channel 32. Aplurality of curved vanes 33 (see Fig. 3) extend across the channel 32.These vanesare concaved in the direction of travel (counterclockwise) ofthe rotating assembly 24 and thus act as buckets in picking up the waterdischarged from the outlet ports 22 and force the water in channel 32 tomove at the same speed as the rotating assembly 24.

A second U-shaped channel 34 (Fig. 2) adjacent to the channel 32, isprovided in the rotating assembly 24. Ports 35 (Figs. 2 and 3) in thewall between these two channels permit water from channel 32 to passinto channel 34., There are no vanes in channel 34, but since the waterin channel 32 is moving at the same peripheral speed as the assembly 24it will continue to move with the assembly at this same speed when it isin channel 34.

The rotating assembly 23 (Fig. 2) has an extending cylindrical flange 36at its innerend parent from Fig. 3, the scoop 31, extending intog thechannel 34, moves in the opposite direction from that in which the waterin channel 34 is moving. The result of the engagement of the scoop 31with the water is to cause a jet of water, as indicated at 38 in Figs. 2and 3, tobe directed inwardly in the barker, passing through the annularinwardly opening outlet 39 between the two stationary shell sections [2and I3, which let strikes the surface of the log L.

The operation of the barker in brief is as follows: Water in quantitysuflicient for the desired debarking jet or jets is supplied to thestationary annular chamber l8 and passes therefrom to the U-shapedchannel 32. The water reaching channel 32 of the rapidly rotatingassembly 24 is prevented by centrifugal force from spilling out of thechannel and is rotated with assembly 24, due in part to the vanes 33located in channel 32. The water thus in motion passes through the ports35 into the channel 34 in which the water continues to be rotated withthe assembly 24. But the water in channel 34 is then engaged by one ormore scoops 31, mounted on the other assembly 23, and thus movingrapidly in the opposite rotational direction. The engagement of thescoop with the water in channel 34 results in a Jet of water extendinginwardly in the annular opening between the flanges l4 and I5 of thestationary inner sections 12 and I3 and following the rotationalmovement of the scoop, The log is moved longitudinally through the innersections l2 and I3 and the Jet from the scoop strikes the log surfaceand removes the bark in a spiral path.

The velocity of the water in the jet 38 will depend on the rotationalspeeds of the rotating assemblies 23 and 24 and will be about twice therim speeds of these assemblies. Thus by rotating the assemblies atsufliciently high speed a jet velocity equal to that obtained byordinary debarking nozzles can be produced, but without necessitatingthe employment of actual nozzles.

Although I show only a single scoop 31 carried by the rotating assembly23, it would be possible to mount more than one on the assembly 23. Insuch case the scoops should of course be symmetrically spaced. Thus, twoscoops may be provided at diametrically opposite points on the flange 36of the assembly 23 and the result will be the same as having twodebarking nozzles arranged at opposite sides of the machine. Having morethan one debarking jet of course enables the machine to operate withbetter balance and also provides more rapid debarking. In any caseprovision must be made for an adequate supply of water to the channel 34so that proper volume of water will be delivered by the debarking Jet orJets for most eflicient removal of bark and the cleaning of the logsurface.

Due to the fact that high rotational speeds of the rotating assembliesare required, it is advisable to use steel belts for driving therotating assemblies.

Since the velocity of the debarking jet or jets depends directly on thespeeds of the rotating assemblies, a control of such speeds enables thedebarking jet to meet the requirements of the particular type of logswhich are being debarked.

Various modifications could of course be made aceaoss 'in the details ofconstruction in the machine which I have described, without departingfrom the principle of my invention, The particular machine described ismerely illustrative of a device for carrying my invention into effect,It is not my intention to confine myself to the particular constructionillustrated or to limit my invention otherwise than as set forth in theclaims. I claim:

1. In a hydraulic barker, a pairof rotatable assemblies, means forrotating said assemblies in relatively opposite directions, an annularinterior channel in one of said assemblies, means for delivering waterto said channel, means in said channel for causing said water to rotatewith said channel and assembly, whereby centrifugal force engaging faceof said scoop member to enable water from said scoop member to pass intothe interior of said barker, whereby said jet will be directed againstthe surface of alog passing through the interior of said barker and thevelocity of said jet will be determined by the speeds of rotation ofsaid assemblies.

2. In a hydraulic barker, a pair of ring assemblies, means for rotatingsaid assemblies inde-' pendently in relatively opposite directions, an

annular U-shaped channel in one of said assemblies, means for deliveringwater to said assembly and channel, means in said channel for causingsaid water to rotate with said channel and assembly, whereby centrifugalforce developed by such rotation will prevent water from spilling out ofsaid channel, a scoop member carried by the other assembly, said scoopmember extending into said channel and engaging part of the water insaid channel, a portion of the waterengaging face of said scoop memberdirected inwardly in said barker to cause the water from said scoop tobe directed inwardly in said barker in the form of a revolving jet whensaid assemblies are moving in relatively opposite directions, aninwardly opening outlet in said other assembly extending from thewater-engaging face of said scoop member to enable water from said scoopmember to pass into the interior of said barker, whereby said jet willbe directed against the surface of a log passing through the interior ofsaid barker and the velocity of said jet will be determined by thespeeds of rotation of said assemblies.

3. In a hydraulic barker of the character described, a pair of rotatablering assemblies, means for rotating said assemblies in relativelyopposite directions, an annular U-shaped channel on the interior of oneof said assemblies, vanes extending across said channel, means fordelivering water into said channel, a second U-shaped channel in saidone assembly adjacent to said first channel, ports connecting said firstand second channels, whereby the water delivered into said firstmentioned channel will be engaged by said vanes and caused to travelaround at the same speed as said first mentioned assembly and will passinto said second channel while traveling approximately at this speed,the centrifugal force developed as-a result of such speed preventing thewater from spilling out of either of said channels, a scoop membercarried by the other assembly, said scoop member extending into saidsecond channel and engaging part of the water in said second channel, aportion of the water-em gaging face of .said scoop member, directedinwardly in said barker to cause the water from said scoop member to bedirected inwardly in said barker in the form of a revolving jet whensaid assemblies are moving in relatively opposite directions, aninwardly opening outlet in said other assembly extending from thewater-engaging face of said scoop member to enable water from said scoopmember to pass into the interior of said barker, wherebysaid jet will bedirected against the surface of a log passing through the interior ofsaid barker and the velocity of said jet will be determined by thespeeds of rotation of said assemblies.

4. In a hydraulic barker of the character described, a pair of rotatablering assemblies, means for rotating said assemblies independently inrelatively opposite directions, an annular U shaped channel on theinterior of one of said assemblies, vanes extending across said channel,the

front faces of said vanes being concaved in the direction of rotation ofsaid one assembly, means for delivering water into said channel, asecond U-shaped channel in said one assembly adjacent to said firstchannel, ports connecting said first and second channels, whereby thewater delivered into said first mentioned channel will be engaged bysaid vanes and caused to travel around i at the same speed as said firstmentioned assembly and will pass into said second channel whiletraveling approximately at this speed, the centrifugal force developedas a result of such speed preventingthe water from spilling out ofeither of said channels, a scoop member carried by the other assembly,said scoop member extending into said second channel and engaging partof the water in said second channel, the water engaging face of saidscoop member being concaved-in the direction of rotation of said otherassembly whereby to cause the water from said scoop member to bedirected inwardly in said barker in the form of a revolving jet whensaid assemblies are moving in relatively opposite directions, aninwardly opening outlet in said other assembly extending from thewater-engaging face of said scoop member to enable water from said scoopmember to pass into the interior of said barker, whereby said jet willbe directed against the surface of a log passing through the interior ofsaid barker and the velocity of said jet will be detergiined by thespeeds of rotation of said assemlies.

5. In a hydraulic barker, a pair of rotatable assemblies. means forrotating said assemblies in relatively opposite directions, an annularU- shaped channel on the interior of one of said assemblies, vanesextending across said channel, a stationary member located within saidone assembly, said stationary member having a chamber, means forsupplying water to said chamber, said chamber having outlet portsadapted to direct jets of water outward from said chamber, said outletports being in registration with said channel, whereby the water will bedelivered into said channel from said ports, a second U-shaped channelin said one assembly adjacent to said first channel, ports connectingsaid first and sec- 7 and channels, whereby the water delivered intosaid first mentioned channel will be engaged by said vanes and caused totravel around at the same speed as said first mentioned assembly andwill pass into said second channel while traveling approximately at thisspeed, the centrifugal force developed as a result of such speedpreventing the water from spilling out of either of said channels, ascoop member carried by the other assembly, said scoop memberextendinginto said second channel and engaging part of the water in said secondchannel, a portion of the water-engaging face of said scoop memberdirected inwardly in said barker to cause the water from said scoopmember to be directed inwardly in said barker in the form of a revolvingjet when said assemblies are moving in relatively opposite directions,an inwardly opening outlet in said other assembly extending from thewater-engaging face of said scoop member to enable water from said scoopmember to pass into the interior of said barker, whereby said jet willbe directed against the surface of a log passing through the interior ofsaid barker and the velocity of said jet will be determined by thespeeds of rotation of said assemblies. 7

6. In a hydraulic barker, a pair of ring assemblies, means for rotatingsaid assemblies in relatively opposite directions, an annular U-shapedchannel on the interior of one of said assemblies,

vanes extending across said channel, a stationary.

ring-shaped member located within said one assembly, said stationarymember having a chamber, means for supplying water to said chamber,

said chamber having outlet ports adapted to direct jets "of wateroutward from said chamber, said outlet ports being in registration withsaid channel, whereby the water will be delivered into said channel fromsaid ports, a second U- shaped channel in said one assembly adjacent toveloped as a'result of such speed preventing the water from spilling outof either of said channels, a scoop member carried by the otherassembly, said scoop member extending into said second channel andengaging part of the water in said second channel, a portion of thewaterengaging face of said scoop member directed inwardly in said barkerto cause the water from said scoop member to be directed inwardly insaid barker in the form of a revolving jet when said assemblies aremoving in relatively opposite directions, an inwardly opening outletinsaid other assembly extending from the water-engaging face of said scoopmember to enable water from said scoop member to pass into the interiorof said barker, whereby said jet will be directed against the surface ofa log passing through the interior of said barker and the velocity ofsaid jet will be determinedby the speeds of rotation of said assemblies.I

7. In a hydraulic barker of the character described, a pair of rotatablering assemblies, means for rotating said assemblies independently inrelatively opposite directions, an annular U- shaped channel on theinterior of one of said assemblies, vanes extending across said channel,the front faces of said vanes being concaved in the direction ofrotation of said one assembly, a stationary shell located within-saidlatter mentioned assembly, said stationary shell having an annularchamber, means for supplying water to said chamber, said chamber havingoutlet ports adapted to direct jets of water outward from said chamber,said outlet ports being in registration with said channel, whereby thewater will be delivered into said channel from said ports, a secondU-shaped channel in said one assembly adjacent to said first channel,ports connecting said first and second channels, whereby the waterdelivered into said first mentioned channel will be engaged by saidvanes and caused to travel around at the same speed as said one assemblyand will pass into said second channel while traveling approximately atthis speed, the centrifugal force developed as a result of such speedpreventing the water from spilling out of either of said channels, ascoop member carried by the other assembly, said scoop member extendinginto said second channel and engaging part of the water in said secondchannel, the water engaging,

face of said scoop member being concaved in the direction of rotation ofsaid other assembly whereby to cause the water from said scoop member tobe directed inwardly in said barker in the form of a revolving jet whensaid assemblies are moving in relatively opposite directions, aninwardly opening outlet in said other assembly extending from thewater-engaging face of said scoop member to enable water from said scoopmember to pass into the interior of said barker, whereby said jet willbe directed against the surface of a log passing through the interior ofsaid barker and the velocity of said jet will be determined by thespeeds of rotation of said assemblies.

8. A hydraulic barker of the character described including a pair ofrotatable ring assemblies, means for rotating said assemblies inrelatively opposite directions, an annular U-shaped channel on theinterior of one of said assemblies, vanes extending across said channel,the front faces of said vanes being concaved in the direction ofrotation of said one assembly, a stationary ring-shaped shell locatedwithin said one assembly, said assemblies and said stationary shellbeing co-axial, said stationary shell having an annular chamber, meansfor supply water to said chamber, said chamber having outlet portsadapted to direct jets of water outward from said chamber, said outletports being in registration with said channel, whereby the water will bedelivered into said channel from said ports, a second U-shaped channelin said one a'ssembly adjacent to said first channel, ports connectingsaid first and second channels, whereby the water delivered into saidfirst mentioned channel will be engaged by said vanes and caused totravel around at the same speed as said one assembly and will pass intosaid second channel while traveling approximately at this speed, thecentrifugal force developed asa result of such speed preventing thewater from spilling out of either of said channels, a scoop membercarried by the other assembly, said scoop member extending into saidsecond channel and engaging part of the water in said second channel,the water engaging face of said scoop member being concaved in thedirection of rotation of said other assembly whereby to cause the waterfrom said scoop member to be directed inwardly in said barker in theform of a revolving jet when said assemblies are moving in relativelyopposite directions.

an inwardly opening outlet in said other assembly extending from thewater-engaging face of said scoop member to enable water from said scoopmember to pass into the interior of said barker, whereby said jet willbe directed against the surface of a log passing through the interior ofsaid barker and the velocity of said jet will be determined by thespeeds of rotation of said assemblies. and means'for supporting saidassemblies for rotation.

9. In a hydraulic barker, a pair of axially alined annular assemblies,means for rotating said assemblies in relatively opposite directions, ananular inwardly-open channel in one assembly,

REFERENCES errEn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,087,959 Lisherness et a1. Feb.24, 1914 1,373,372 Waite Mar. 29, 1921 1,736,799 Planert NOV. 26, 19292,124,914 Fottinger July 26, 1938 2,422,757 Swift June 24, 1947 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 35,574 Sweden Oct. 1, 1913

